Lost Before Round One? Blame Ambush

Hello Splinterlands warriors, how have your battles been going this week?
Hopefully there are still more smiles than sad faces 😄

This time I want to have a relaxed chat about one skill that’s often overlooked, but whose impact can change the course of a battle even before the first round begins. Among the many skills in Splinterlands, in my opinion Ambush is one of the most “sly,” the most surprising, and absolutely one of the most dangerous to watch out for.

Because it’s true that:
“The best surprise is the one where your enemy does nothing but gawk in stunned silence!”

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What Is Ambush?

The Ambush skill is no ordinary skill. It doesn’t wait for its turn.
Quite literally, Ambush steals time.

Ambush
Units with this ability start combat before the first round of the battle even starts!
During this bonus Round Zero, only Ambush characters may perform any actions.

That means before the first round even begins, there is a Round Zero. In this round, only monsters with Ambush are allowed to act.

Sounds strange? Yes.
Dangerous? Absolutely.

Imagine your opponent hasn’t even had time to “wake up,” yet your team is already at work.

And the question is: why is Ambush so terrifying?

In Splinterlands, we usually rely on setup: buffs from the Archon, tank positioning, healers ready in the back. But Ambush cuts through all of those rituals. The more Ambush monsters you deploy, the more you steal the starting advantage from your opponent. And what makes it even more interesting is that Ambush rarely stands alone.

Out of the 7 monsters that have this skill, almost all of them have dangerous synergies with other abilities:

• Some deal massive damage and can instantly eliminate an enemy unit
• Some weaken attacks, like KEI
• Others can cripple the opponent, such as SULTRY BARMAID

Ambush isn’t just striking first—it’s a psychological attack.

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Personal Experience: Chaos Jailer and Early-Morning Poison

In line with my playstyle, I usually field just one Ambush monster.
My favorite: Chaos Jailer.

Why? Because during the Ambush round, Chaos Jailer can immediately apply Poison. That means when the first round starts, the enemy is already sick. All that’s left is to wait.

This strategy often works. It feels like slipping poison into your opponent’s coffee before the duel even begins.

But… Ambush Can Turn Into the Enemy’s Weapon

In one particular battle, I got too confident. I thought, “one Ambush is enough.”
Turns out, it wasn’t.

My opponent used two Ambush monsters, and even worse—their team was faster.

The result?
With the same hero—Chaos Jailer—my attack collapsed right in Round Zero.
Before the first round even started, I was already behind.

You can see that loss here:

👉 LINK BATTLE 👈

It felt like arriving late to the arena, only to find the match already underway.

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Surprises and Valuable Lessons

The most surprising thing for me was this:
Ambush isn’t about who has it—it’s about who’s more prepared.

• The number of Ambush units matters
• Speed matters
• Backup matters

An unprotected Ambush unit can die uselessly. But a well-arranged Ambush lineup can lock down the match from the very start.

The key lesson: don’t treat Round Zero as a formality. Because that’s often where the final outcome is already decided.

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Reflection: Ambush in the Current Meta

With more and more unique cards and strange combos appearing, Ambush has become a highly decisive opening skill. It’s perfect for players who like to:

• strike first
• disrupt the opponent’s plans
• play fast and aggressively

But it also demands careful calculation. One small mistake, and the result can be fatal.

For me, Ambush is the art of stealing time.
It doesn’t always guarantee a win, but it always forces the opponent to react.

Quick strategy tips:

• Use Ambush to create an early advantage
• Pay attention to speed and the number of Ambush units
• Don’t be overly confident with just one card
• Prepare a backup plan in case your Ambush fails

If you have a monster with the Ambush skill in your collection, don’t just let it sit there. Try playing it. Feel the adrenaline. Because in Splinterlands, sometimes victory is decided… before the first round even begins.

Talk about Splinterlands,
If you haven't tried out this fantastic game called Splinterlands yet, I invite you to Join.
It's free, but you'll need to invest in a beginning deck or buy gaming cards to gain real assets like cards and tokens.

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